Avocado Tonnato

Ok, I know tonnato freaks most of you out.
Beige food is visually unappealing and a gloppy beige sauce is just ugly.

Especially Vitello Tonnato.

A veal cutlet w/ cold tuna sauce on top, a specialty in Piedmont.
I personally love it, though I rarely ever eat veal anymore.

Years back, I made a tonnato sauce for turkey, and it was truly one of the most delicious summer entrees, and so easy to make for company.

Here, Food52 posted my beloved avocado with that Northern Italian tuna sauce, and I fell in love.
I knew I had to make this right away.

Tonnato sauce is a sauce made with tuna, mayo, garlic, anchovies and lemon juice.

It's great spread on warm crostini or used as a dip for crudite (really good), it's just ugly.
Get over it.

Here's the appeal for me:

First off, I love avocados (you know that by now).
I love canned tuna.
I also love Hellman's mayonnaise.
So, if you are not a tuna or mayo lover, you can click out now.

I served this for lunch over watercress and not only was it easy, but SOOOOO GOOD.
If you have a salt craving, this will fit the bill too!

Try it, you will like it.

Avocado Tonnato: (adapted from Food52)

2 ripe Mexican or California avocados (I don't like avocados from Peru, they are bland and pale yellow inside)
a handful of arugula or watercress

1 can of Italian tuna packed in oil
2 anchovy filets (I buy the good stuff from Sicily in the jar)
1 big fat garlic clove
pinch of coarse sea salt
black pepper
juice of a lemon (recipe calls for a lime, but I only had lemons)
1/3 cup of full fat mayonnaise
tbsp of capers for garnish

On a cutting board, pile the anchovies on top of the garlic and sprinkle w/ coarse salt.
Smash with the back of a knife and chop to make a paste.

In a small food processor or blender, add the tuna with some of the oil from the can along with the mashed garlic anchovy paste. Squeeze in the lemon juice and add the mayo.

Whiz for a minute, until a nice pinkish beige sauce appears. If it is too thick, add in some olive oil.

Lay the watercress on a platter, and cut the avocados in quarters. Sprinkle the avocado quarters w/ sea salt.

Pour some of the tonnato sauce on top of the avocados and garnish w/ capers.

With the leftover tuna sauce, I poured it over the last of my heirloom tomatoes from the garden.

Even better.